Air ring for bedridden patients



Jan. 1, 1935. w so 1,986,697

AIR RING FOR BEDRIDDEN PATIENTS Filed May 9, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Mar: 22 271 12-5020 Jan. 1, 1935. M E. WILSON 1,986,697

AIR RING FOR BEDRIDDEN PATIENTS Filed May 9, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 By m Patented Jan. 1, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,986,697 Am RING FOR BEDRIDDEN PATIENTS Marie E. Wilson, Port Angeles, Wash. Application May 9, 1934, Serial No. 724,786

1 Claim. (01. 5-327) The present invention relates to an air ring for use by invalids and helpless patients, either surgical, accidental or from ordinary illness.

The object of the invention resides in the provision of a ring on which the patient may rest while in bed so that there will be no necessity to move the patient to give such treatment as an enema, douche, irrigation of bladder, etc., or to place urinals.

Another important object of the invention resides in the provision of a device of this nature which is simple in its construction, inexpensive to manufacture, comfortable in use, durable, thoroughly eiiicient and reliable in use and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the above, and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying the features of my invention.

' Figure 2 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 1s a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

, Figure 4 is a detail plan view showing one end of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a detail section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the buckle.

Referring to the drawings in detail and particu larly the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5 it will be seen that Figure 5 denotes a hollow body of flexible material such as rubber or the like of the split ring type. Adjacent the ends of the body this hollow or tubular body is pinched and vulcanized as at 6 thereby forming an intermediate and relatively large compartment '7 and end and relatively small compartments 8. A valve 9 is provided in the body for inflating the compartment 7 and similar valves 10 are provided in the end portion for inflating the compartment 8. On one end there is mounted a pair of buckles 11 and on the other end a pair of straps 12 but of course other suitable fastening means may be used. In Figure 2 I have eliminated the end section forming compartments 8 so that the ends of the body terminate in relatively larger spaced relation than in the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

When this device is in use it is only necessary to loosen the strap holding the ends of the ring like body together and fold in ends back and place the bed pan or basin. One nurse can give any number of such treatments without calling on another nurse for help and waste so much time waiting for her to finish whatever she is doing. Also, the use of this device saves lifting the patient off and on the pan or whatever is being used, eliminating much pain to the patient and also the rubbing and bruising caused by getting on and lying on bed pans and the like.

When used regularly the device will prevent perspiration and pressure sores, commonly known as bed sores. The construction of the ends of the device will give great support to the legs and act as rests for male urinal or catheterization basins for either sex. To place a female urinal, the top strap is loosened and this permits the sides of the ring keeping the legs from pressing on the hard surface of the urinal.

It is thought that the construction, utility and advantages of this invention will now be quite apparent to'those skilled in this art without a more detailed description thereof.

The present embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in considerable detail since in actual practice they attain the features of advantage enumerated in the statement of the invention.

It is apparent that changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

A device of the class described comprising a curved body of tubular hollow construction in split ring formation and provided with valve means for inflation, means for securing the ends of said body together, said body adjacent the ends being pinched and secured together to provide a relatively large intermediate compartment with a pair of relatively small end compartments, the

end compartments having separate valve means from that provided for the remaining portions.

MARIE E. WILSON. 

